Perhaps if one looks carefully enough, even myth can find veneration in reality. Such is the case of the government’s zealous thrust into countrywide excavations for proof of the existence of the mythical Saraswati river, mentioned in several religious texts like the Rig Veda.
At a meeting of the standing committee of the Central Advisory Board of Archaeology (CABA) at the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) headquarters here, for the review of over 100 proposals for “exploration, excavation, scientific clearance and trial excavation for 2016-17”, on September 28 and 29, over six projects that have been green-lighted lie on the basin of the Saraswati river.
They include Kunal on the Bhuna-Ratia Road in Fatehabad district in Haryana, either Lohari Ragho or Masudpur in Hisar, the Chautang basin in Hisar, Bhiwani, Jind, and Rohtak, Shikarpur in Gujarat, Bijnore in Rajasthan, and Vadnagar and another “probable locality” in Gujarat.
Kunal, Head of the National Museum, BR Mani, denies any connection with the ...

Three former cricketers, including Kirti Azad and Bishan Singh Bedi, on Saturday deposed before a Delhi Assembly-appointed committee, comprising all AAP MLAs, in connection with the alleged "irregularities" in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA).
The nine-member committee, headed by AAP MLA Sourabh Bhardwaj, was set up by the Assembly in June to probe the alleged corruption in the city's cricket and hockey bodies. The move is being seen as "unprecedented" as it is perhaps for the first time in the country that the proceedings of any probe committee were opened to the media by a state Assembly. Four meetings of the committee have been held in the past and this was the fifth one during which the proceedings were opened to the media persons.
During his deposition, Azad, whose wife recently joined the Aam Aadmi Party, alleged "financial irregularities" in the DDCA during the tenure of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley as the President of the cricket body.
Meanwhile, slamming Delhi Chief ...

The all-powerful Congress Election Committee met today to take stock of the Punjab elections and commence the task of finalising candidates for the 2017 state elections.
Chaired by Congress President Sonia Gandhi and comprising party vice president Rahul Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the committee held a one hour meeting to assess the current political landscape and devise suitable plans to counter Aam Aadmi Party and the ruling combine of Akali-BJP. Congress sources said the panel did not discuss specific seat situation in the state which has 117 assembly segments and will meet again on December 8 to start those specific discussions.
The Election Commission is yet to notify polls in Punjab with a section of the Congress leaders of the view that hasty ticket allocation should not be done. AAP has so far declared 91 candidates and Akalis have declared around 65. Congress is yet to start the work although the state screening committee headed by former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok ...

"This 'notebandi' is a positive step which will lead to benefits. It will happen," the JD-U president said, terming corruption and black money as a "big sin and festering wound" which must be eradicated.

Persons familiar with the developments told that Sushma Swaraj is in regular touch with foreign secretary S Jaishankar, both over phone and in person, for deliberations on key policy issues. A key aide to Swaraj said the minister is also in regular touch with her office, clearing files and notes.

The All Bodo Students Union (Absu) and the People's Joint Action Committee for Boroland Movement today organised a cycle rally in different parts of the state, demanding early solution to the long-standing demand for a separate Bodoland state and political rights for the Bodos living outside the "Bodoland" area.

Muslim students today hit the streets while the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) moved Prime Minister Narendra Modi against Assam education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for threatening to crack down on madarsas in the state that observe a holiday on Friday for the weekly juma namaz (prayers) without official sanction.